I know this sounds stupid but if there were a great number of horses missing it's probably because someone is trying to sell it to slaughter for money and it may sound sad but it's true Horse slaughter is legal again thanks to Obama

Yes... Sadly, if slaughter stops, there will be WAY too many horses in the world who don't have loving homes and won't get the care they need because of it. It's sad, but it's no different than shelters that have to put down dogs and cats because of overpopulation. It's a necessary thing. I don't think I'm for it when people are running slaughter operations (buying as many horses as possible and selling them to slaughter just to gain profit, when those horses could have had wonderful homes) but it really is necessary to avoid mass overpopulation. It's not as easy as 'breed less horses and it won't be an issue' - if it was as simple as that something would have changed by now, but I think this is just the way it is and will be for a long time to come.

Also, some people eat horses. So, there's that too. (Just like some people in other countries eat dogs. Or how we eat cattle, but in some countries Cattle are sacred and never used for consumption.)

There are laws and inspectors to make sure slaughter is humane in the US. Without slaughter in the US, they go to Mexico --- where there are no laws and there is cruel treatment like you describe. The best thing to keep horses from going to Mexico is to reinstate slaughter in the US with a chance for the horses to have to be transported shorter distances in approved conditions, and a chance of a humane final chapter.

Well how else do you propose they do it? The two methods I know of are 1.) using an electric probe to knock them out cold, then hoisting them up and cutting the throat to drain the blood. And 2.) using a bolt gun to the head to kill it right away, and then hoisting them up and cutting the throat to drain the blood.

It's awful. And it's sad. But there is no other way to do it that is as fast and effective that will keep it fit for consumption. It's not perfect, but it's about the best they can do.

Edit: Yes to everything said above me! Mexico horse slaughter is absolutely brutal. Better to do it here where it is regulated.

Slaughter will never be a beautiful thing.. Of any animal.. there is and will always be blood, gore and death.. Even in the best run slaughter houses you will not get a 100% kill rate, for which is usually dealt with immediatly.

I went with a friend once to have their beefer butchered, I was curious and decided to watch the procedure.. It is actually suprisingly quick.. they wasted no time in getting him in the chute, taking a shot (only rendered the guy unconcious btw), hoisting him up and cutting his throat (they cut down the jugular not across it- he gave a slight groan when they did this but was way to out of it to do anything else) , and he was bled out..all of ^this^ could not have taken more than three minutes.. from chute to death.. Was it a pretty thing to watch?? NO, But Knowing how quick it is once the animal is on the kill floor reassured me. Are there sick individuals out there that do sick things to animals in slaughter houses?? YES, and its sad.. but this type of thing is not the norm. A hoisted up concious prey animal IS A DANGEROUS THING.

Do yourself a favor and instead of watching all of the anti slaughter propoganda out there that PETA and the HSUS put out there, go educate yourself with real information. If you find after doing that, that you still don't agree with what happens- then that is fine...But judging by what you said, you are pretty darn un educated on the matter.

I am sick of anti slaughter people always assuming that people who work in slaughter houses are somehow screwed up in the head.. truth is is its a GOOD paying job..swift will start you off at $17 an hour+ benefits to gut..

Also That HSUS video of the chino california plant where the downer cows were bulldozed by the fork lift...THEY WAITED MONTHS to release the video at a time that would be convenient to further their agenda...How is that for animal love??

Or the video of the cattle blinking after being strung up?? Its a brain function that happens after death (they brain is often the last thing to actually die)..saw this with my own eyes..

There is no sudden spike in horse theft - for slaughter or otherwise. As for the "now legal again" statement - it would be to your benefit to do a little reading up on the issue so that you can have factual information to use in your arguments rather that repeating false information.

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